BIM: Meeting the Digital Challenge

Whilst the debate has been ongoing for some time about the need for the industry to improve our productivity, the supply chain and contractors in particular have been somewhat apprehensive to embrace the new technology.

BIM, or Building Information Modelling, can be misconstrued as just the delivery of a project through the creation and management of a 3D model. BIM is not just a 3D model. BIM demands an integrated approach to project delivery and perhaps highlights where there are deficits in the traditional design development/change management process. Members of the CIF National Committee on BIM have been tasked with considering policy development in this area and how contractors can prepare their organisations for the change.

The CIF National Committee on BIM have developed these two initial guides to assist our members in firstly understanding the terminology associated with digital construction and secondly providing an experienced insight into how to make a commercial assessment at tender stage. The guides are brief but hit on some of the key questions a contractor must consider if they are to have an effective risk assessment prior to committing to a contract.

CIF will be rolling out free briefings for all members on a regional basis from next month. This will give members the chance to discuss the guides and raise their own individual queries.

As always, we would welcome your feedback and suggestions. If there are areas of digital technology you would like the Committee to focus on, please contact the Committee Secretary, Sean Downey, on 01 4066007 or email sdowney@cif.ie.